CHICAGO — During the final homestand of the 2025 season, Jameson Taillon walked through the hallways at Wrigley Field and saw a member of the Cubs’ staff.

“Whatcha ya got?” the veteran right-hander asked.

“Oh, we’re going over this [about] San Diego today,’” the staffer replied.

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Taillon was caught a bit surprised.

“ ‘F–k, we don’t play them for six days. That’s cool,’ ” Taillon thought. “That’s cool that we’re not just kicking the tires and twiddling our thumbs for a week. Like we’re being active and prepping.”

It’s a prime example of the approach and mindset that Cubs manager Craig Counsell has instilled in his staff and the team in his second year at the helm. The Cubs have a different attitude and preparedness than they did in his first season in Chicago — one that feels more Counsell-esque. The Cubs play clean baseball. Their defense is crisp. Their offense is grindy.

Those factors have led the Cubs to the 2025 MLB playoffs, as they’ll face the San Diego Padres in the best-of-three NL Wild Card Series beginning Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Counsell’s style has the team confident that he’s the right guy to lead them on a deep postseason run.

“In this second year, I’ve really felt just kind of the culture shift a little bit around here,” Taillon said. “I think he’s impacting our preparation for series, how we’re scouting teams, how he’s communicating with the front office.

“I think he impacts this team in a lot of ways that aren’t necessarily direct. I think he’s just got a lot of impact in a lot of ways.”

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It’s also reminiscent of those Counsell-led Milwaukee Brewers teams that bothered the Cubs and their fans for nine years. And it all starts behind the scenes, before a pitch is thrown or a bat is swung.

“At this level, you make gains in the margins, little gains,” Taillon said. “So, I just feel like the way we’ve had our meetings and scouted teams, I just have felt that change. Our attention to detail seems a little bit better.

“We might pick up on opposing teams’ tips a little better, habits, things like that. I just feel like I just feel like we’re a little more dialed in on this year.”

It was evident early in the year when the Cubs beat out double plays and stole an extra out that led to another one that meant a win. But the most prominent way wasn’t something fans always saw. It wasn’t pulling a starter or pinch-hitting someone.

“His personality allows for us to show up every day, trust what it is that we need to do in order to be good and know that he’s going to put us in a good position to be successful and win games,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “He’s the same guy each and every day, and that’s valuable when you’re playing so many games the way we do. There’s ups and downs throughout a year, but he’s ‘steady Eddie’ the whole time, which is a big benefit.”

Just as importantly, though, Counsell is open with his players. He doesn’t sugarcoat things or lie to players. Instead, he’s honest with them.

When the Cubs signed Colin Rea in the offseason, Counsell talked to the right-hander, whom he managed in Milwaukee, and outlined the role. Sure, Rea would make some starts, but he’d be a swingman helping the Cubs solve their innings problem.

In September, Counsell spoke with Carlos Santana, a veteran whom he managed in Milwaukee, too. Santana is at the tail end of his career, chasing a ring, and Counsell was direct, too. There’d be some at-bats and playing time but not much, and Santana would be more of a behind-the-scenes leader than anything.

“He creates a very open, honest relationship, but he’s very straightforward,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “I think you guys know him — he’s not a rah-rah guy — but he brings a real steady, consistent intelligence to the job every single day. His decision-making is very clear and obvious, and I think that allows players to know how they’re going to be used and lets them know what to expect.”

Taillon has seen that firsthand.

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Throughout his big-league career, Taillon has come back to the team hotel after a game and gotten together with teammates to unwind with a beer and just chat about the game or anything else. There’s almost always some second-guessing — “That’s a weird spot to use this guy,” they’d say after some bullpen decisions.

“I haven’t done that once this year,” Taillon said. “I haven’t heard anyone question anything. I think part of it is being really good tactically, and I think another part of it’s just trust and buy in.

“And it’s just trusting that he has our best interest in mind, and he’s trying to put everyone in the best spots, and there’s a reason behind what he’s doing.”

Baseball is a game of failure, the cliché goes — and it’s true. At no one time is an entire lineup clicking. When the Cubs’ offense was red-hot in the first half, Ian Happ, Matt Shaw and Swanson were scuffling. When the top of the order hit a slump in the latter part of the season, that trio was in a groove.

On the pitching side, the Cubs had early bullpen woes, the rotation was beleaguered with injuries all season, and yet Counsell found a way to cover enough innings and pick up enough outs for the team to win 92 games.

“I know he’s got his staff in meetings, and they’ve been prepping for who we’re going to play, for patterns and those types of things,” Taillon said. “I know they’re prepared. And again, as a player, that gives you more confidence to go play freely.

“I don’t have to sit here and worry about do I need to do extra video work? It’s like, no, we’re all dialed and we’re all doing the right things to prepare. Now we go out and play, and you play the game.”

And Counsell is never complacent. He doesn’t dwell too much on that day’s results, whether it’s a walk-off win or a gut-wrenching loss. He’s always trying to better the organization and find ways to keep improving.

“I think he makes everyone better on a daily basis, asking questions, pushing everyone,” Hoyer said. “I think he has a really high standard for what he expects, and I think that carries out, not only through his coaching staff, but through the front office and the organization.

“And I think that’s exactly what we hoped when we brought him here. As a person, as a manager, he’s had a huge impact.”